What have you done to your Tacoma today? 1st Gen Edition

A 1 inch uni-ball is going to be MUCH stronger than the stock ball joint. I believe the OEM ball joint stud would be about 1/4 inch thinner than the 1 inch uniball. (at the base of the stud where it meets the ball, where these things typically fail)

Also the design of a uniball makes it less likely to fail in the way the OEM ball joint fails because the ball joint is in a socket basically from the mid point of the bracket the ball joint is sitting in. The Uniball extends through the bracket (I'm using bracket for lack of a better term. maybe ball joint body is more accurate).

Also the uniball is easier to inspect, and you can replace the uniball without replacing the entire body, making it less likely the LBJ, as a whole, would fail due to lack of inspection etc.


In short. The uniball design is stronger, easier to inspect, easier and cheaper to replace the actual joint (uniball), than OEM.

 

Inspection
Replacement

That is what eliminares LBJ failures. I'd bet over 90% of the LBJ failures are due to pure neglect.... running them thousands of miles past the point they were already clapped out.

 

I'm talking about premature failures which is also common due to the imperfect design of the whole LCA/LBJ as a whole. I'm not trying to diss on the uniball LBJ as a product. I just here different reasons as to it's purpose.

 

You let a uniball go until the point it pulls through you will get the same result as a failed lbj. The factory bjs don't fail because they are weak. They are worn out well past there service life.

 

Are those gonna last longer than the heim joint things in CO’s?

I’m sure they’re gonna squeak worse

 

See, that's where I disagree.

I don't think you actually see that many "premature" failures. As I said, and I stand behind it... the VAST majority of LBJ failures are from total neglect.

The service life of the OEM LBJs is recommended at something like 65k miles. Then you have people with 200k miles and a failed LBJ, scratching their head and asking why it failed.

What we do to our trucks lowers the expected service life of the LBJ tremendously. That's where regular inspection and replacement comes in as an absolute must.

The uniball LBJ is a bit more costly up front, but after the initial investment, it's much cheaper, and easier to inspect, maintain, and replace the uniball, than to buy OEM complete ball joints every one or two years. That's where I see the benefit to the uniball units.

 

They are Anzo brand. I love them but it was a fight to get them to work at first. They are wired for a 99 tacoma not the 03/04
They can be found in a couple different styles on ebay and Amazon

 

I guess I better add it to the list

 

Not so much 'today' but last few days: Designed and 3D printed a 'switch panel' to hold an inexpensive LED temperature display where the ashtray should go. I am in Oregon and this time of year it is nice to know if it is near freezing. Pics to follow and I will share the stl file when I refine it a bit more. You can find the display via Amazon search for B01L1DLPWG. Now I need to decide where to put the thermistor....

 

Not sure that they are easier to replace. You still need to remove the 4 bolts, otr and stud bolt to remove the uni, no? At that point you're on you way to reinstalling a new lbj as opposed to heading to the bench to knock the uni out and press another in.

What is there to maintain on an OEM joint? Uni adds maintenance if anything.

Not sure how inspection gets much easier with the OEM style either, jack wheel off ground, put pry bar in place, pry and look for movement. This will be the same for the uni also.

Unless they last a handful of years I do not see any benefit to them. I also don't see any benefit to OEM over the cheaper Moogs that are going at least 3x longer than OEM was for me.

I do think its awesome people are out there still making things for these trucks and I hope they end up lasting quiet some time for those who choose to go this route.

 

Hi!

Thanks.

I do have some measurements. These are based on using 1/2" birch plywood.

The overall width (front panel) is 54" wide x 11 1/8" high. This allows use of the OEM floor cubbies and leaves a gap for the rear speaker and cab vent.

The sides are odd shaped due to the sloping seat floor (which is why I started with the front, then cut the sides to mate up). I used a cardboard template for the back edge since the back is a bit curvy. The rear edge is about 11 1/2" high.

Let me know if you need additional measurements.

 

In for wherever you run the probe thing.

I wanna get this one and run it somewhere
IS Icstation Digital Thermometer, Car Auto Temperature Gauge Sensor, DC 4-28V Fahrenheit Dual Display, Monitor with 2 NTC Waterproof Probes for Aquarium Vehicle Fish Tank

$11 IS Icstation Digital Thermometer, Car Auto Temperature Gauge Sensor, DC 4-28V Fahrenheit Dual Display, Monitor with 2 NTC Waterproof Probes for Aquarium Vehicle Fish Tank

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WS11X45?_encoding=UTF8

 

Finally finished up installing the archive garage shock relocation kit. If I measured correctly I’m pulling about 11.5 inches of travel in the rear. Just waiting on my durobumps to come in the mail

 

Idk how you feel about the clock if you have one but that could be a nice spot and keep it looking oem.

 

That’s smart,

gotta find a blank too I guess

where to run the outside probe though

 

My sentiment that they are cheaper and easier to replace is you can replace the Uniball (it's self)... you can't replace the ball joint on the LBJ assembly, you replace the entire item ball joint + frame with OEM (or Moog). (I suppose you could press a new ball joint into the body. But why, and where do you even find out what ball joint fits?)

The uni is easier to maintain... exactly because there is nothing to maintain on a ball joint, you can't really maintain it. You can visually inspect the uniballs, you cant really do that with ball joints.

The cost of replacing a set of uniballs has to be cheaper than replacing an entire (OEM) ball joint unit. If the uniballs last over a year, I can see how there would be cost savings over the course of a few years.

 

What size kings are you running? 2”? What about tire size and BS?

 

30$ for ebay panel
8$ dealer handle plastic recliner
came in oak, painted it as close as I could get it

 

Used the 1st Gen to do shopping for the 2 Toy Run / Food Drives we will be doing tomorrow and then Saturday.




This year is going to be very slim for some. If you can, please get involved. It's easy, and it's fun.

This is truely my favorite time of the year.

 

Did you put on quick connects or just leave yourself enough slack to easily replace them if needed? After having a bunch from my first set fail I am thinking about redoing the entire harness with quick connects. Got a link to the kit you used? Output is really nice.

Honestly I have seen about as many catastrophic failures with the ball joint itself as I have about the bolts backing out and then shearing. I always mark mine with a torque pen now and blue loctite for peace of mind and a quick inspection item.